Britain Steers Toward a Bid for the America’s Cup

Paolo Lorenzi of Italy, 34, became the oldest first-time winner on the ATP Tour in the Kitzbühel final on Saturday.CreditChristian Bruna/European Pressphoto Agency

July 24, 2016

Ben Ainslie thrust Britain’s campaign for the 2017 America’s Cup into serious contention when Land Rover BAR dominated racing on the first day of the World Series in Portsmouth, England, on Saturday.

Winning two out of three races in light winds, Ainslie showed audacity and opportunism in his tactics and familiarity with the Solent racetrack, where his team trains.

But Groupama Team France, headed by Franck Cammas, gave the British a run for the money with an emphatic win by almost two minutes in the first race.

Adam Minoprio, who joined Groupama in January when Cammas broke his leg, said the team’s progress was the result of extra hours spent on the water training and racing foiling catamarans. Oracle Team U.S.A., the defending America’s Cup champion, was in third.

(AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE)

OLYMPICS

Even Before First Event, U.S. Sets a Record

The United States Olympic Committee officially announced its 555-person team for the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. It includes 292 women, which will be the most who have ever competed for a single country.

Three members of the United States team are competing in their sixth Olympics: the equestrian Phillip Dutton and the shooters Emil Milev and Kim Rhode. Seven are in their fifth Olympics, including Michael Phelps, Bernard Lagat, Kerri Walsh Jennings and Venus Williams.

Dutton is the oldest United States Olympian at 52, and there are four 16-year-olds: Kanak Jha (table tennis), Laurie Hernandez (gymnastics), Sydney McLaughlin (track) and Laura Zeng (rhythmic gymnastics).

BASEBALL

‘Clubhouse Incident’ Keeps Sale Off Mound

Chris Sale, the Chicago White Sox’ ace, was scratched from his start against the Detroit Tigers after what the team said was a “nonphysical clubhouse incident.”

FanRag Sports reported that Sale had protested the throwback jerseys the team was scheduled to wear. Fox Sports reported that Sale, who is 14-3 with a 3.18 E.R.A., had cut up the throwback jerseys during batting practice.

The White Sox had announced that the team would wear collared, blue and white V-neck jerseys that were first worn in 1976. Instead, the players wore more conventional, throwback white jerseys with no collar and no navy.

AROUND THE MAJORS Mark Trumbo hit his major-league-leading 30th home run as the host Baltimore Orioles beat the Cleveland Indians, 5-2, in a duel between first-place teams. • Pinch-hitter Stephen Drew hit a game-ending triple in the ninth inning to give the host Washington Nationals a 3-2 win over the San Diego Padres. • Nelson Cruz homered twice, including his ninth career grand slam, as the visiting Seattle Mariners matched a season high with 19 hits in a 14-5 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays.

TENNIS

Lorenzi, 34, Is Oldest First-Time Champion

Paolo Lorenzi became the oldest first-time winner on the ATP Tour by defeating Nikoloz Basilashvili, 6-3, 6-4, in the Kitzbühel final. At 34 years 7 months, Lorenzi surpassed the record set by Victor Estrella Burgos, who was 34 years 6 months when he won his maiden title at Quito last year.(AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE)

AROUND TENNIS Ivo Karlovic’s big serve carried him to a second consecutive final at age 37, earning a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Steve Johnson at the Citi Open in Washington. • Andrej Martin reached his first career ATP Tour final after defeating Carlos Berlocq, 7-6 (4), 6-4, in the Croatian Open.

GOLF

Under Pressure, a Shot Clock Experiment

The European Tour is set to experiment with a new six-hole team format next season featuring shot clocks, music and fewer clubs. The tour’s chief executive, Keith Pelley, hopes to make golf more appealing to young players.

“If you’re not prepared to change, you’re not prepared to be innovative, if you’re not prepared to actually take chances, then sports will fall behind,” Pelley said.

(AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE)

AROUND GOLF Miguel Ángel Jimenez opened a four-stroke lead in the Senior British Open, shooting a seven-under-par 65 to fall one stroke short of tying the Carnoustie Golf Links record. • Brandt Snedeker used a 378-yard drive to eagle the par-5 18th at the Canadian Open, taking a one-stroke lead over the amateur Jared du Toit in Oakville, Ontario. • England grabbed the lead in the UL International Crown, a rare L.P.G.A. team event, and the United States advanced with a sweep against Japan in Gurnee, Ill. • The former tennis player Mardy Fish took a 2-point lead over the actor Jack Wagner in the American Century Championship celebrity golf tournament in Stateline, Nev.

A version of this article appears in print on , on Page SP8 of the New York edition with the headline: Britain Steers Toward Bid for America’s Cup. Order Reprints | Today’s Paper | Subscribe